“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars!” has always been my motto. I’ve even included a shooting star in my practice logo!
Too often when we seek only perfection, we get “stuck”. We cannot move forward. This holds true for our lives and our private practices.
How Do I Get Un-Stuck?
I follow a simple, three-step process to get unstuck and keep your private practice moving forward:
Success Step # 1—Determine where you want to go with one specific aspect of your practice.
Carve out some quiet time and ask yourself three, key questions and write down your answers:
- “What do I love about what I do in my practice?”
- “What am I really good at?”
- “What do I do better than anyone else?”
Here is an example of how I worked through a time when I felt stuck. I wanted to grow my practice and needed to figure out where to head. I love working with school-age children with language-based learning difficulties and had been specializing in this area for over ten years. I wanted to design a plan to attract more referrals in this area.
Success Step #2—Create a “Success Plan” that will move you in the direction of your goal(s).
Use the answers to your key questions to drive your “Success Plan”.
- Create both long and short-term goals. Your first goal might simply address a particular project.
- For each goal, develop a specific “Success Plan”. This is your action plan.
- Make sure your goals and actions include measurable outcomes, timelines and a plan to track them. Be as specific and detailed as possible and add them to your calendar.
Your “Success Plan” must be in writing to keep you accountable. Consider hooking up with a colleague and help each other be accountable, or work with a coach who will keep you on track. The important thing is to just get started on your “Success Plan”. As you get better at this you will begin to plan further and further ahead.
My Success Plan for attracting more referrals for students with language-based learning difficulties included a step-by-step plan with specific goals, action items, timelines and tracking measurements to monitor outcomes. One action item included giving a presentation to parents on the topic of dyslexia that began with the action item of contacting our local library to collaborate on this project.
Success Step #3—“Just do it!”
As Nike says, “Just do it!” No excuses. Each day check your calendar and complete the items you’ve written there from your action plan. Move steadfastly in the direction of your goals—one step at a time. And then…Ta-Da! (That is my little, three-year-old granddaughter’s favorite words as she finishes an activity.) You will be well on your way to achieving the success in your practice that you are meant to achieve!
Now isn’t that as easy as 1-2-3? Commit yourself to do the work it takes to move your private practice forward. Follow these steps to develop a “Success Plan” that will help you to “Land among the Stars”. If you want to discuss how this process can be of specific help to you, feel free to contact me.
